James 1:17-27

MARK 7:31-37

Sermon with children – 10:30a.m.

September 10, 2006

Today’s second Bible Story tells how Jesus healed a man who was deaf and who couldn’t speak clearly. This means that Jesus made him all better – able to hear and speak well.

From this we learn that

God loves us and wants the best for each of us.

God can help people with their personal problems.

God does not send illness and in fact will send healing to the whole world when God’s will is done on earth as it is in heaven.

In the meantime, God hears our prayers and offers us strength and guidance to help ourselves and each other. And part of that help is in healing – helping people to get better.

Jesus cares about us right now, but we can’t touch him like the man in the story could. And Jesus now often touches people with his love and power through other people.

Do you think we could be Jesus’ helpers? (Responses.) Who’d like to give Jesus a hand? (Show of hands, mine up first.) Who’d like to help Jesus with two hands? (Both of mine go up.)

Some of us grow up to use our hands to heal as doctors or nurses or physical therapists or occupational therapists or as other medical professionals. Jesus likes that a lot! All of us can use our hands when we pray (hands together), and all of us can use our hands to share God’s love with other people, because that always helps.

Like this. (I recruit a volunteer.) I take your hand in mine, and I look at you and say, “God loves you.” Then you look at me and say it to me. (Response.) Now let’s do this, all of us, with each other, making sure everyone gets a chance to say it and to hear it.

Now – grown-ups! Turn to the person next to you, hold a hand if you like, and say “God loves you.” Hear it and say it. Kids, make sure no one is left out!

(To all.) There are lots of kinds of healing: physical, emotional, spiritual, relational. Sometimes all four are needed. For each and all of them, it can be very important for someone who is only an arm’s length away to say to the person who seeks healing, “God loves you.”

Jesus would really like that if we did that for those we know who need healing.

(The Rev.) Francis A. Hubbard

St. Barnabas Episcopal Church
Monmouth Junction, NJ